In the past, many games have been developed that utilize a game ball that is tethered. These games often involve the use of paddles, bats, golf clubs or other implements that are used to strike the game ball. Substantial forces are exerted on the game ball when it is accelerated by the striking implement and substantial forces are also exerted upon the game ball when it encounters the resistance of the tether. Typical tetherable game balls are described and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 660,787 issued to Bissell on Oct. 30, 1900 entitled "Tether Ball"; 2,747,873 issued to Carroad on May 29, 1956 entitled "Tethered Ball Game Apparatus" and 3,051,491 issued to Cabot on Aug. 28, 1962 and entitled "Returnable Practice Golf Ball".
Such prior art tethered balls incorporate solid balls or have external attachments making them incompatible for certain types of games. In addition, such balls are subject to tearing and breaking away from the tether after extended use.
A need has thus arisen for a tetherable game ball that is simple in construction, resists tearing and breaking away from the tether and has characteristics of an untethered ball.